CINEJ Cinema Journal
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Review of Farmed Animals on Film: A Manifesto for a New Ethic
Full text linkThis first-of-its-kind book is more than just an examination of the use of animals in films, but, more directly, the use of films to help animals
The Eye of the Tiger, Amongst Other Animals: The Non-Chinese Viewer’s Guide to the Symbolic Significance of Animals in Jia Zhangke’s A Touch of Sin
Full text linkJia Zhangke’s A Touch of Sin (2013) takes us through fictionalized accounts of four viral murder cases in China. While existing scholarship analyzing the film picks up Jia’s social commentary and common themes with his previous productions, there is a lack of scholarship providing sociocultural contextualization of the film’s cinematography, especially for the non-Chinese viewer. This essay argues that the film’s usage of animal imagery is symbolically significant. In particular, the animal imagery is central to understanding the role of natural law and justice in China. On top of aiding understanding of lawlessness and the effects of capitalism across rural and urban China, attention to the literary references and linguistic wordplay uncovers representations of law, justice, and balance in Chinese society. Finally, the lens of animals contrasted against the film’s central protagonists unveils interpretations of the futility of revolt against capitalism, and the ambiguous position of women in China
Being Queer in Turkish Cinema: Existence, Appearance, and Representation
Full text linkQueer representations in cinema are both influenced by and reflective of local or global cultures. In the context of Turkish cinema, patriarchal Turkish culture often negatively impacts the portrayal of queer identities. These portrayals tend to reflect society’s view of queers rather than illustrating their actual place within society. This study examines the evolution of queer representation in Turkish cinema from its inception to the present, highlighting queer identities and representation issues through the lens of Judith Butler\u27s queer theory
Reading Stanley Kubrick’s The Shining Against the Backdrop of His Cinematic Expression
Full text linkStanley Kubrick’s The Shining (1980) stands as a cinematic masterpiece, weaving visual and auditory elements to transcend conventional horror norms. This in-depth analysis sheds light on the film’s intricacies, including, amongst others, the Overlook Hotel’s foreboding opening and the hedge maze’s symbolism. Kubrick’s expert use of Steadicam techniques heightens vulnerability in Danny’s tricycle scenes, while the maze evolves into a psychological labyrinth. The climactic nine-minute sequence employs diverse camera tools and editing styles, revealing supernatural layers with a deliberate shift in mise-en-scene. My argument centres on Kubrick’s exceptional capacity to transcend traditional horror storytelling, using meticulous details to simultaneously evoke fear and contemplation. This analysis sheds light on the film’s artistry, showcasing how Kubrick’s work leaves an indelible mark on those who venture into the unsettling world of The Shining
Ink And Influence: The Role of Media on Climate Policy Understanding
Full text linkThe main purpose of this study is to investigate the role of media (including cinema) on the CO2 emission levels of The United States of America (USA). Employing three co-integration methods, namely Canonical Co-Integrating Regression (CCR), Dynamic Least Squares (DOLS), and Fully Modified Least Squares (FMOLS), within the framework of Environmental Kuznet Curves (EKC) theory, we unravel the impact of media coverage on the USA’s carbon footprint. Utilizing Climate Policy Uncertainty index (CPU), extracted from prominent USA newspapers as a main concern, the analysis reveals a noteworthy outcome indicating media coverage pertaining to environmental issues, pollution, and climate changes emerges as a contributing factor in the reduction of CO2 emissions. The study also uses income per capita, renewable energy consumption and foreign direct investment as additional metrics of air pollution. The findings not only shed light on the influential role of media in shaping environmental outcomes but also offer valuable insights to policy makers and governors
Masochist and Sadist Individuals at the Socio-Cultural Crisis in The Banshees of Inisherin
Full text linkThis study aims to analyze the death drive in McDonagh’s The Banshees of Inisherin while investigating the functions of self-defense, self-destruction, and self-abasement in the film. The proposed questions include: What is the function of death drive in the subjectivity of an individual destructing himself? What are the possible socio-cultural implications of death drive as suggested in the movie? To answer these questions, the study makes frequent use of key terms associated with self-defense mechanism, death drive in particular, as well as masochistic and sadistic elements to prove different features of self-destruction in various forms. The present research shows that death drive projects itself as masochistic self-defense reaction, which is more often than not characterized with resentment and antagonism
Mary Shelley Biopic (2017): A filmic discourse analysis
Full text linkThis work analyzes the discourses that compound Mary Shelley biopic (2017), concerning male domination and female resistance. To do so, the specific objectives are: to verify how this domination permeates the main character with a view to publish her work Frankenstein; identify the elements that cross the relation author-character in the biopic; describe these elements into categories within a filmic discourse analysis. The theoretical-methodology contribution is Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA), within the dialectical-relational developed by Fairclough (1989; 2001) in conjunction with the filmic analysis. The corpus of the analysis is constituted by 02 long takes. It is used the Bakhtinian categories (2003), which are dialogism, polyphony and alterity, followed by the categories of Fairclough (2001), which are intertextuality and presupposition
Fiction Movies as a Means of Culinary Heritage’s Safeguarding and Research Referencing: Cases of Couscous Illustration in Tunisian Cinema
Full text linkCouscous is a staple dish that became recognized and registered as an immaterial cultural heritage by UNESCO, simultaneously for Tunisia, Algeria, Morocco, and Mauritania (UNESCO, Knowledge, know-how and practices pertaining to the production and consumption of couscous, 2020). It represents a mixture of love, heritage, and innovation, which links identity, originality, and modernization. The dish is eligible for two of the five broad domains in which intangible cultural heritage is manifested: social practices, rituals, and festive events. Once a fiction film represents this gastronomic heritage, it reflects the filmmaker\u27s culture and identity during its international distribution. This study aims to compare the couscous dish’s illustrations in Tunisian fiction films such as Halfaouine, Under the Rain of Autumn, and The Secret of the Grain; to prove how fiction movies be considered as an identity card for any filmmaker’s homeland by reflecting the culinary cultural heritage of their homeland, or even a tourism promotion for his nation; and most of all to evince that a fiction movie could become a reference for researchers, in tandem with scientific articles and books
Green Border: Cinematic Storytelling as History of the Present
Full text linkThis article analyzes Agnieszka Holland’s film Green Border, which addresses the migrant crisis at the Belarus-Poland border, exploring how Foucault’s concept of “history of the present” applies to migration cinema. We argue that Green Border functions as a cinematic intervention that challenges audience perceptions of power structures and their resistance. The study also establishes criteria for analyzing films as “history of the present,” focusing on characteristics such as the immediate relevance of depicted events, the documentation of social issues, the film’s influence on public perception, and a multifaceted narrative construction. Ultimately, the framework shows how cinema reflects and shapes social, political, and cultural realities in real time
The Role of the Chorus in Akira Kurosawa\u27s 1990 Yume (Dreams)
Full text linkThis article attempts an analysis of Akira Kurosawa’s 1990 Yume (Dreams) based on the idea that each one of the eight episodes that the film depicts have got a group of people (or animals) that seems to be the equivalent of the ancient Greek theatre chorus. Thus, the article is an effort to establish a basis upon which the film may be understood differently that it is until now. Moreover, as the last sentence of the article declares, the actual intention of the article is to create a basis upon which further academic research may be conducted